Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 What would you do to make the Three Wheeler better

A softer version with say a Guzzi 1.4 would give the drive train an easier time but the character of the car would certainly be reduced.

Guzzi engines are great, full of character and unlike BMW Boxer twins, they don't suffer from erectile disfunction!

I don't know that it would be all that softer. The Guzzi has the huge advantage that it was designed to run in a transverse situation and has a purpose designed seqential gearbox, bevel drive etc. A reverse gearbox or an electric reverse would be easy to fit and, depending on the final design a final shaft drive or belt drive (short shaft to the bevel drive) could be used. Trouble is that the Guzzi engine would probably cost a lot more.

The only thing is that it is a naturally balanced 90° V twin and the narrower 56° S&S engine looks good even though it has all the problems of vibration and torque pulses. Another case of appearance before function?

Anyway I would have chosen the Guzzi, at about 800 engines, gearboxes abd bevel drives (plus ECU) a year I am sure Morgan could have done a deal with Guzzi.

Of course my preference has nothing to do with where I live

How would that improve it, Howard? S&S engines are robust enough, plenty of character & torque, eminently tuneable and rare enough this side of the pond.

After two years of production, the car now has it's own identity firmly etched in time.

I would go along with a specific 'hot' engine model, but to start at the very beginning and homologate the engine is financial suicide given the sales it would attract. Add to this, a new driveline would be needed & it's never going to be a runner.

Who's going to be first to cam up their S&S I wonder..?

When I wrote "softer" Peter I was referring to the thumper output of the S&S . I'm a fan of Guzzis (even though I ride BMW boxers!) and the engines are more refined than the US ones. My personal preference would be a Guzzi engine even though it would alter the character of the car although the S&S has the edge on looks.

Triking maybe?

A Morgan/Triking-Guzzi very nearly happened, of course. Does anyone know where the prototype is now? Was it ever completed?

It was offered for sale by Aero Cycle Cars at one point I believe. It was designed to use sliding pillar front suspension. I can't find the photos now.

Actually the die is cast now and in the Morgan 3 Wheeler I don't believe there will be any significant changes in the foreseeable future, just continuing detail improvement. Let's face it despite the fact that nearly 1,000 have been sold in Europe and that the orders are still coming the main target market would have to be America. That together with the design philosophy that the M3W should echo the Morgan Super Sports from the '30s have dictated the style and the choice of engine. At least from the point of view of style and marketing no one can say the the M3W is not a success.

What we are moving into with discussions of different engines etc is moving beyond the topic of this thread and moving into the realm of "What would your dream 3 wheeler be?" and that could still be a Morgan but as different as the 4 wheeled Aero range is from the classic 4 wheeler.

Once we accept that there is a market for the 4 wheeled Morgan Aero range alongside the traditional 4 and 3 wheeled sports cars we can also accept that there is a potential market for a more modern styled 3 wheeled fun machine with a Morgan badge.

Speaking personally I love the look of the M3W but I can't justify a price tag that is almost that of a base 4/4 and, based on my motorcycle solo and sidecar experience, I would really want something quite different to the current M3W.

Does your vehicle have the Immobilizer? That is a highly efficient battery drainer. When I was ordering my M3W, I discussed it with my dealer and he advised against, for that reason. Mysteriously, the car was delivered complete with Immobilizer...